Pure Science
by alli-sun
Summary: They got together two months ago, right before APs. It was chemistry. Aang/Zuko yaoi. DISCONTINUED.
1. Prologue and Chapter 1: Cycling is Gay

* * *

**Prologue: Last Day of School**

* * *

"What d'you say?!"

"Bite me, bitch," Zuko growled in return. It was out now. The cafeteria was, bit by bit, becoming hushed. Eyes were glued to the pair—stiff backs, fists clenched, oh their anger would cause some damage.

"Don't call _me_ any names, you damn faggot," Jet spat out. He'd done it now.

It was over in a flash. Zuko was already up and gone, but Jet was down where a punch had been SLAMMED into his face. Was he unconscious?

A girl stood in Zuko's way as he was stalking out of the cafeteria. She glared up at him, skin perfectly tanned and eyes blue like the ceramic tiles. He made to ignore her, but then she called out, "He'd be better without you, Zuko."

"Shut up." He should've kept ignoring her. But he couldn't help but whisper, "I still need him."

* * *

**Pure Science**

**Summary: **They got together two months ago, right before APs. It was chemistry. Aang/Zuko yaoi.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Avatar: the last Air-bender. They would've done UNSPEAKABLE things on live television if I had. ;)

**Warning:** YAOI YAOI YAOI. Boys love each other! Don't read on if you don't understand this! Plus lots of swearing!

**A/N – **I've wanted to write this fic since…forever! But I've never found enough time. Well now I do. Happy summer everybody. I hope this doesn't remind you too much of school. xD

* * *

**Chapter 1: Cycling is Gay**

* * *

"Aang!" Sokka yelled, his heart furiously beating blood to his flushed face. This was aggravation at its height. "Aang, don't overexert yourself! We need you for the penalty kicks later on!"

It was half-time interval. Ninth game this season, and Aang felt as if he was walking on air. They hadn't lost a single match. So he'd asked Katara to put some candy in his knapsack for when he got hungry (trust her to stuff in a love note and some girly valentine hearts while at it, but it wasn't that bad). Now, however, his hyperactivity was going over the top.

Squealing at the top of his lungs, he pedaled his bike furiously over to the empty bleachers on the other side of the field. It was an amazing moment of stillness, utter perfection. He'd made a jump up on one of the lower beams, and was about to jump higher—

"RYAHH!" Aang screamed considerably less joyfully. His entire body was falling, and he couldn't stop it. Within seconds, a flock of yellow jerseys surrounded him like pins to a magnet. It looked flowery, from a distance.

"Jeez, what happened to him?" Jet snorted, throwing more cold water on himself.

Zuko simply looked up, cold eyes blazing gold with curiosity. "A win for us, I suppose."

"He didn't seriously get hurt, did he?" Jet was now standing up on the bleacher along with his green-clothed teammates. None of them, however, were willing to literally walk over and ask them if everything was okay.

"At the rate he was going?" Zuko snorted. "You didn't see him go 'round the field in circles, and _then_ jump on the bleachers?"

"He's a fast kid," Jet nodded. "It's good for us that he's down."

The coaches were arguing furiously about whether they should continue the game or not, while Captains Zuko and Sokka sat quietly, pretending not to want to tear their coaches apart.

"Alright Zhao, that's _enough_!" Zuko roared over the two.

"You be quiet, Zuko," Zhao threatened. "There is no way we have to give into their commands! They're down by one player and they have plenty of back-ups. If they don't suck it up and play pussy on us, they might as well surrender."

"For the last time, that's _not what I said_—"

"He can't play at all?" Zuko asked. The coaches ignored him, and so he looked at Sokka.

"We don't think so," Sokka shrugged. "I can't believe him, though! Of all the games he could've chosen, he just had to screw _this_ one up!"

"Sprained ankle? Broken leg?"

"Uh…first, I saw him fall flat on his face. So his cheeks are really bloody, but he was giggling and stuff so I was sorta scared he got amnesia—"

"Alright, this is bullshit, where is he?" Zuko snapped, standing up. "If this is nothing serious, why can't you just ask him whether he wants to play or not?"

"We can't."

"Why not?" Zuko hissed, getting impatient.

"He's out. Unconscious. Sleeping like a damn baby. Jeez, dude, sit down and cool it!" Sokka looked at Zuko as if he was scared Zuko might kill somebody. "He's the best player on the team. The only reason I got captain was because coach was afraid that Aang would do exactly what he did today and act like a fricking toddler."

"This is getting stooooopid…" Jet sang, joining the two next to their coaches, who still hadn't calmed down. "Let's just play."

"Hey Bato?" Sokka said, addressing his coach.

"Sokka for the last time, I'M BUSY!"

"Hey, why's everybody yelling?"

The entire field went out with a hush as everybody's eyes became glued to Aang. The skinny boy looked considerably mussed up, sporting large bandages on either side of his face and a bruised lip. The humorous part of it was that he had a huge grin on his face and had forgotten to put on his shorts upon waking up.

The boys began to snicker.

"Oh my god, Aang…" Sokka hissed, shaking his head. The snickers began to grow louder.

"Seriously, what's going on? The intermission isn't over yet?"

"It's _been_ over, lad," Bato growled into his bandage-clothed face. "What were you thinking? Did you consider how much danger you were putting yourself in? Not to mention _us_, your team?"

Aang blushed. For whatever reason, the boys began bursting out into laughter. "Uh…yeah…sorry coach, really—"

"I've really had enough of this," Zuko interrupted. He kicked up the soccer ball into his hands and walked head on pass Bato and stood in front of Aang. "I hear you're the best on your team."

Aang simply stared at him. He knew full well it was a challenging statement, but did not bother to look peeved. He smiled innocently. "Sort of?"

"There is no 'sort of'!" Zuko barked. "You've caused us enough trouble. We're gonna settle this quickly, because I want to go home and sleep because my fucking head hurts! We're playing one-on-one, and whoever wins, wins it for the team!"

Zuko threw the ball in Aang's already damaged face. Like a fast retort, Aang caught it with a twirl of his hands and flung it at Zuko's feet.

"I'm so sick of the lack of ethics in your soccer team, Zhao—" Bato began to complain.

"Fine, let's do it," Aang said. And like that, end of story.

Everybody smirked.

"Oh, this ought to be good," Jet laughed.

* * *

There was something different about Aang's eyes. He no longer looked like a child when he played soccer. He looked like a fully-fledged male out to make a kill, a hunter light on his feet and swift on his attack. Zuko did not deny that he was slowly becoming enraptured with Aang's style. And the boy _was_ good, especially flying solo like he was now. It was the first real play he'd had in months.

One thing irked him, though, and not in an entirely innocent manner. Aang liked to whisper as he played. They were mere feathers on Zuko's sweaty shoulders as their feet wrestled like lightning for the ball, but it was nevertheless enough to make the hairs on his neck stick up. Aang liked to make the little notes to himself, needing to hear orders outright.

Zuko took a deep breath, fighting down the unneeded arousal. He wanted to try something out. Waiting for the right moment, where they were the right distance from the goal, Zuko whispered in Aang's ear, "Turn left."

It worked. As if by instinct, Aang made a swift run to the left so that Zuko had just enough room to score. The two ended up colliding in the process.

"Ow!"

"Shit!"

The ball hit the net full-force, but Zuko and Aang were down in the grass. Zuko stared at his accomplishment, and then looked down at the boy he was crushing.

Aang was looking at him with a new kind of fury, one of shock and utter rage. It really didn't help that, despite the bandages, his flushed face made him look as though he'd just had an orgasm.

"I won," Zuko smirked.

"Get off me," Aang pouted.

The two teams dispersed. The couches lectured. Aang tried desperately to own up to his misdeeds of the day, while Zuko was trying to shrug off all the teasing.

"We got seriously worried for a minute there, man."

"Yeah, wouldn't want a little uke to own your ass."

"He really is fast…

"IN BED!" Everybody chorused, throwing their jerseys up in the air as if it was a victory song. Zuko shook his head, fighting down his grin.

"Shut up, guys," He said, forcing himself to be serious.

"Seriously, he looked so gay."

"Like he just woke up from kinky sexy time."

"I hope you didn't do anything R-rated out there on the grass, Zuko."

"Yeah, what was with the floor action there?"

"Um, Zuko?"

A different voice was addressing him this time. Aang was standing there with his knapsack but with no pride. He looked like a baby who'd just gotten his toy taken away. "Coach isn't letting me ride back with him," He told the grass in a monotone. "I was wondering if you could give me a ride."

"Do you wanna sit on his lap, kid? We got no spare seats."

"Why don't you shut your trap?" Aang suddenly yelled, head snapping up. "You're so bad at defense I could've gone right through you!"

A few of Zuko's teammates whistled. More laughed. The player in question who'd just been singled out was sulking.

"And _you_ probably can't tell right from left! _You_ can't aim! _You_ stop playing whenever you feel like it, you fatass! If you don't give me a ride, Zuko, then I'll just stay here and die and it'll be on your conscience."

Aang walked away leaving a nasty burn on the entire team. None of them were laughing now.

"Sour loser," Zuko murmured.

"Just leave him, Zuko, that kid's got a nasty attitude," Jet shook his head.

Zuko glanced at his friend, and then at Aang. The boy was sitting in the middle of the field, skin shining gold in the sunlight. His eyes were closed, seemingly meditating.

"You're right," Zuko sighed. "He's just too much of a brat, sometimes."

* * *

End of Chapter 1: Cycling is Gay.

* * *

**A/N** – just wondering, does anybody in the fanfic community NOT hate me for practically abandoning my writing? Show of hands?

This first chapter was basically just a warm-up for what's to come. The next chapter's a lot longer! I hope you guys will enjoy. =)


	2. Chapter 2: Introduction to Chemistry

**Pure Science**

**Summary: **They got together two months ago, right after APs. It was chemistry. Aang/Zuko yaoi.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Avatar: the last Air-bender. They would've done UNSPEAKABLE things on live television if I had. ;)

**Warning:** YAOI YAOI YAOI. Boys love each other! Don't read on if you don't understand this! Plus lots of swearing!

**A/N – **I just want to warn everybody. I have not taken AP Chemistry yet. I took Chemistry accelerated, and I _despised_ it. It was by far my worst subject ever. So that's why I couldn't use my own notes, because I recycled everything that had to do with that cursed subject, and instead I'm using google's search engine. =) So if anything doesn't sound advanced enough…that's why.

* * *

**Chapter 2: Introduction to Chemistry**

* * *

Chemistry is the study of matter and its transformations. Matter is anything that takes up space, or anything with inertia.

We study chemistry for many different reasons. It is useful in medicine, ecological studies, and even helps the average citizen become more informed. Chemistry can be used in applied science, which applies scientific knowledge to practical uses, or pure science, which is the science of developing scientific theories without consideration to their application.

The scientific method is a systematic procedure of solving problems and exploring natural phenomena. Basically, you—

1. Define the question

2. Gather the information and resources

3. Form the hypothesis

4. Perform the experiment and collect data

5. Analyze the data

6. Interpret data and draw conclusions that serve as a starting point for new hypotheses

7. Publish results

8. Retest (frequently done by other scientists)

A hypothesis is a tentative explanation designed to guide experimentation. A useful hypothesis must be testable and must be rejected or corrected when they conflict with the experiment.

When collecting data, it can be qualitative or quantitative. Data is most useful when collected under controlled conditions, carefully changing one variable and observing the effect on another variable. The experiments must be repeatable and reproducible.

A theory is a well-tested explanation for experimental data based on a set of hypotheses. They must be discarded or refined when they cannot explain experimental results. A good theory: explains currently available data, is as simple as possible, accurately predicts results of future experiments, suggests new lines of work and new ways to think, and clearly shows underlying connections.

A natural law compactly summarizes patterns in a large amount of data. It is often applied only under special conditions. A natural law is a description of nature, not a fact or explanation.

* * *

"…Kaji Zuko?" The teacher peered down at her attendance sheet once again. "I'm sorry, but you don't appear to be on this list."

Zuko practically felt his innards sag. Third class today, and it seemed as if his guidance counselor wasn't worth shit. "Would you like to see my schedule?" He asked through clenched teeth.

"Bring it up here, please."

Zuko stood up from his seat, alone in the back, and dutifully made his way to the front. A group of girls texting under their desks began to giggle with each other as he passed them. He glanced at them. They were nothing special. When he made it to the front, he stood there with his arm outstretched, holding out his crisp white slip of paper—

"HELLO EVERYBODY!"

A young boy strapped up in a pressed white polo and a rather large, idiotic grin practically bounced into the classroom. What was perhaps more strange was that something about him looked oddly familiar. Perhaps it was it was the way his cheeks glowed. Or his small build. Or his eyes that were a blazing grey—

"Holy crap," Zuko whispered.

"Am I late?" Aang asked brightly. He seemed not to have noticed Zuko.

"Why did I suspect this?" The teacher shook her head. "Okay, please sit down in your seat. I'm talking to your mother later."

Aang's eyes widened. "But Jana!"

"That's Sensei to you, young man!" She snapped furiously. "And if I cannot talk to your mother about keeping you in line, then I will ask your grandmamma to give you a spanking! How would you like that?"

"Eh…no thanks," Aang giggled sheepishly. He did not seem bothered at all, though, throwing a peace sign to the class as if he was a celebrity. They'd already begun laughing and cheering, though, upon hearing the teacher's threat.

"If I were you, I'd just switch out now," The teacher whispered to Zuko as she checked over his schedule. As she made a note to herself in a furious scribble, she informed him, "My nephew just loves the attention. But he'll grow out of it, eventually. I hope." Then, she put on a smile for him. "Alright, here you are! Talk to your guidance counselor, okay?"

Zuko was already walking down the aisle, stepping carefully around the backpacks and tote bags lying lazily on the tile floor. He wondered if Aang still recognized him. But the boy did not look his way. Instead, Aang stayed in his own sphere of influence, in his own environment where everybody seemed to simply adore him. Silently, Zuko sat back down, hating this new school.

* * *

Aang, Zuko was beginning to realize, was simply a younger version of himself (except much louder, of course). The boy got away with almost everything—so many of his family members were part of the staff. He lent his lunch money to anybody he felt was worth the extra treat, because his account was practically bursting. Everybody knew him. Nobody seemed to dislike him. And if he happened to screw up the latest quiz, everybody got a bonus curve. He was merely a rich little brat—much like Zuko used to be.

It really made him sick.

He had to admit, though, that it could've been worse. Aang did not so much as glance at him the entire day, and already it was seventh period. Zuko was planning on spending the day alone, and then he would go home and complain to his uncle that he really didn't feel like this one would meet the bar, academically and _especially_ socially. Zuko did not understand why his father felt the need to split up his entire crowd. Jet, his adoptive brother, was sent to military school. Azula was accepted early into Yale. Ty Lee was sent to France to tone up on her dance training. Mai was sent to London and was planning on going into politics. Zuko felt like an afterthought, stuck in an ordinary private school.

"Hey! Think fast!"

Something fast and hard hit Zuko's back with a splat. His entire body stiffened. Purple paint was dripping on the floor. He recognized that voice.

"Remember me?" Aang laughed harshly.

It really was him. Armed with a pair of rainbow goggles and a paintball gun. Zuko narrowed his eyes, trying to control himself.

"No," He said coolly, taking off his paint-covered jacket and flinging it at Aang's face. In his own, memorable way, Aang knocked it out of the way with a twirl of his hands. His face was questioning Zuko. "I'm just on my way to gym," Zuko growled, his voice rumbling with tension, "and I'm minding my own business. So get away from me, you little shit."

Zuko felt another one hit his arm, but was able to dodge the other two. Aang was now on a roll, shooting mercilessly from a hilarious fighting stance. His ridiculous appearance, however, failed to distract from his deadly accuracy. Zuko ended up sprinting straight down two hallways and into the gym, where both teachers and students looked up to stare at the sight. Seconds later, Aang was right by his heels.

"You think you can outrun me?" Aang roared in his ear. "eeeYAH!"

Zuko grunted as he hit the floor. Aang had swung his paintball gun into his stomach and was now looking down on him, glaring. "Next time you wanna just leave me like that, you should expect something in return."

Were those tears in Aang's eyes? Couldn't be. Zuko groaned again and tried to get up, just about to slap the shit out of him, when Aang stopped him at gunpoint. "This is my last warning."

Aang walked way, knowingly facing the principle standing near the door, her beautiful, aging face horribly stern. Just then, Zuko noticed the identical grey eyes.

_Fuck_, he thought, _don't tell me that's his mother._

* * *

Jet Kaji: wtf? and howd he NOT get the shit beaten outta him?!!?!  
Today at 10:09pm – Comment – Like – See Wall-to-Wall

Zuko Kaji: just forget about it. listen dude i feel bad about using up your internet time.  
Today at 10:11pm – Comment – Like – See Wall-to-Wall

Jet Kaji: i don't have internet time lawl  
Today at: 10:11pm – Comment – Like – See Wall-to-Wall

Zuko Kaji: …O.o  
Today at: 10:12pm – Comment – Like – See Wall-to-Wall

Jet Kaji: yea, im sneaking out for u, bro  
Today at: 10:13pm – Comment – Like – See Wall-to-Wall

Zuko Kaji: you are so fucked if you're caught  
Today at: 10:14pm – Comment – Like – See Wall-to-Wall

Jet Kaji: watev  
Today at: 10:14pm – Comment – Like – See Wall-to-Wall

Zuko Kaji: aiite, i'll just write more to keep you online so you'll get kicked out and you'll haveta come over here  
Today at: 10:16pm – Comment – Like – See Wall-to-Wall

Jet Kaji: and help you jump that sunuvabitch  
Today at: 10:17pm – Comment – Like – See Wall-to-Wall

Zuko Kaji: yeah exactly  
Today at: 10:17pm – Comment – Like – See Wall-to-Wall

Zuko Kaji: wait, his mom is the principle. FUCK.  
Today at: 10:18pm – Comment – Like – See Wall-to-Wall

Jet Kaji: seriously? then i should get da hellata here  
Today at: 10:19pm – Comment – Like – See Wall-to-Wall

Zuko Kaji: no. you stay here  
Today at: 10:20pm – Comment – Like – See Wall-to-Wall

Jet Kaji: maybe U just dont wanna hurt him, u lil suckerrrr  
Today at: 10:21pm – Comment – Like – See Wall-to-Wall

Zuko Kaji: wtf? calling me a sissy?  
Today at: 10:22pm – Comment – Like – See Wall-to-Wall

Jet Kaji: im calling u GAY man. u wanna sweeten him up a little, dontcha?  
Today at: 10:24pm – Comment – Like – See Wall-to-Wall

Zuko Kaji: stfu. why d'you care so much? faggot.  
Today at: 10:25pm – Comment – Like – See Wall-to-Wall

Jet Kaji: lmao, angry fag. xD  
Today at: 10:26pm – Comment – Like – See Wall-to-Wall

Zuko Kaji: YOU'RE THE FAG, YOU SONOFABITCH  
Today at: 10:27pm – Comment – Like – See Wall-to-Wall

Zuko Kaji: uh Jet?  
Today at: 10:30pm – Comment – Like – See Wall-to-Wall

Zuko Kaji: you idiot, you got caught didn't you.  
Today at: 10:44pm – Comment – Like – See Wall-to-Wall

* * *

"Hey."

Zuko looked up from tying his shoes. Aang was standing there, shirtless. His t-shirt was handing around his neck, its ends held tightly by his fists. He was grinning cheekily.

"…What do you want?"

"We're starting soccer today," Aang said. His voice was snarling, but his mouth remained perfectly neutral. "And I call a rematch."

_Ignore him_, Zuko said to himself. _He's not worth your time_.

But then he ran into a certain dilemma. It would most likely be extremely awkward to simply stand up and start stripping into his gym pants and shorts, especially since Aang was standing there barely a foot away from him with a most surly look on his face. Zuko unconsciously touched the hem of his shirt, wondering if Aang would try to block him if he went to the bathroom.

Aang's eyes immediately caught his wary hands. He himself lifted Zuko's shirt up in an instant.

"Hey wha—get off me!" Zuko fidgeted furiously to get away from Aang's prying hands.

"Did I give you bruises? Huh?" Aang was evidently trying to get a load of Zuko's backside, where he'd aimed for the day before in his paintball salvo.

"I said GEROFF ME!" Zuko barked, trying to throw Aang off. But he was stronger than Zuko originally thought. When he tried to swing the annoying little boy off, Aang simply clung to his fists.

"SHOW ME THE BRUISES!"

"WILL YOU FUCK OFF ALREADY?"

"Fight, fight, fight, fight…"

A crowd had gathered without Zuko noticing. But now he was fully aware that he was surrounded by his peers. But these were Aang's boys, not his. And they were all on Aang's side. The idea of the spoiled brat being above him—in _every_ way—in the whole goddamn school practically made him panic. He was on overdrive now. He was reaching for the little bastard's neck when—

"Hey! Clear up! What's going on here?"

* * *

It took a while for everybody to settle down. But their gym teacher was not one to waste time. He had all the boys filed up in the gymnasium in no time, and was addressing the girls rather loudly, "I am sincerely fortunate to have a class where at least 50% of the class knows some maturity."

Aang, however, was his favorite. What a surprise.

The entire class sat on the bleachers, ready for the "demonstration" that Aang promised. Zuko thought at first that the teacher would hardly allow it. He did not look as if he was related to Aang at all. And yet he heard them say:

"You think I can take him?"

"Of course you can. You're our little star."

The words hit him like ice cold water. Zuko stretched quickly, anger beating in his fingertips, his forehead, his clenched muscles. Aang was their little star. He was used to winning everything. And this was his little temper tantrum.

Well, he beat him once. He could beat him again.

* * *

The next evening:

Sleep left Zuko excruciatingly slowly. But when he finally woke up and realized that he was not in his own bed, that he was not staring at his own ceiling, and there were at least five other beds and a cheap TV around him, his eyes shot open.

The sun was just setting, but now he was wide awake. Zuko found himself armed with a thin set of pajamas and a cast wrapped snugly around his left arm. The walls and floor had a familiar setting to them. Oh no. Oh shit. He was still in school.

"Oh! You finally woke up!"

It was a very cheerful voice that rang in his ears. Zuko let out a soft groan, not noticing beforehand that he had another one of his killer headaches. He felt plump hands assisting him to ease himself back down so that he could rest on the little pillow at the head of his bed. Zuko looked up to see an aging woman with a double-chin, wearing the same smile that he'd seen from Aang so often.

Oh no, another one.

"I'm so glad you're awake, you've been out for so long. We were all so scared. But don't worry, we have everything taken care of. Your insurance covers all the expenses at this school, your family has been contacted, and your boyfriend woke up about an hour ago—"

"W-what?" Zuko sputtered, sitting up again in shock. His headache hit him full force, and he let himself be helped back down.

"I'm sorry, but Aang fell back asleep shortly afterwards. You can't talk to him now, but I will be sure to keep you two close together—"

"Excuse me, Ma'am," Zuko interrupted. He could not believe what he was hearing. It was the most _bizarre_ thing he'd ever heard of. "Aang is not my…ah…my boyfriend."

"Of course, you two have broken up." The woman's eyes watered, as if she was about to break down into tears. "I've heard about the whole thing. It's alright, you don't have to tell me if it hurts."

Just then, Zuko realized there was a bed positioned directly across from his that was unlike the other beds. It was hardwood, not plastic, and had its own specially-designed nightstand and lamp. Aang was sitting there, looking Zuko directly in the eye as he laughed silently. But he was not visible to the nurse, who was sitting next to Zuko with her back facing Aang, giving Zuko a puppy-dog stare that was oozing of concern.

"You _heard _about it?" Zuko asked her slowly, wondering what the hell she was talking about.

"Yes, sweetie."

"…For example?"

The nurse raised an eyebrow. "Oh, if you really want to know," She laughed. Zuko could tell she was just dying to tell him the whole story. "It's from all the lovely rumors I hear around here, of course! I just think it's so romantic that he's all hurt that you left him. My girls keep me informed! They told me you just kept staring at him in every class. And then he started shooting those paintballs at you and went to cry in the bathroom afterwards."

Zuko let out a hiss, slapping his forehead. _This_, he thought, _is utter bullshit_.

"Don't beat yourself up over it," The nurse scolded. "I know Aang is a little rough sometimes, but he really means well. He's our little darling."

She turned around to smile at him. Aang was already back under his covers, looking as if he'd been a sleeping angel all the while.

"Please do us all a favor and take him back? I think he really likes you! Now, I'm going to have my dinner break now, but if you need me I'll just be in the other room eating take-out! You can join me if you'd like!" With a laugh at her own joke and a flurry near the door, she left.

She left.

With _that _conclusion stuck in her head.

"We've got food!" Aang announced merrily. The minute the nurse left he was up and piling pasta and broccoli on a paper plate. "I think she forgot to tell you to help yourself."

There was indeed a small table between the two beds bearing a generous meal before them, but Zuko remained immobile.

The two did nothing but glare at each other for the next half hour. For whatever reason, Aang had a strange, triumphant aura to him. He'd finished his dinner in no time, and now he was perfectly happy with sitting on his bed with his legs crossed and his head facing Zuko with a fierce little smirk. Zuko noticed something odd.

"You don't seem injured," He said.

"I'm not. Well, a bit. And so you are. But for the most part, we're fine."

"What happened?"

"I collided into you!" Heh, figures he would sound happy about it.

"…So it took us—"

"One and a half days to wake up." Aang finished off for him. "I ate a sleeping pill. So did you."

"…What is WRONG with you?" Zuko shouted. "What kind of sick game is this? And you'd better tell me right now or I'll make sure you will never wake up in that stupid bed ever again!"

"No," Aang shushed him harshly, "You listen to me, Zuko."

He had the same look on his face. The one that he wore on his face when Zuko first played him in the summer, on that hot day where there was nothing to smell but sweat and nothing to feel but the soccer ball. It was animalistic.

"I watched you and your team drive away," Aang hissed. "And I walked the three miles to the closest house around so that I could call my mom and get kicked up. My skin was _scorching_. I was burned so bad I couldn't move for a week. And I was this close to getting kicked off the team. Soccer is the only thing I actually like, because I'm _good_ at it. You're not going to take that away from me."

"So this is your little revenge?" Zuko scoffed. "Making the school nurse thinking I rejected you in this…gay relationship? That's pathetic."

Aang shook his head slowly. The sun was dripping lower in the sky. The slight rays of light were making Aang's face look particularly ominous. "Are you kidding? She's my second cousin. She likes to gossip more than the entire school combined. I've just cemented your reputation here."

"This is stupid," Zuko growled, rolling his eyes. His body began to sink lower onto his bed. "This is a goddamn joke."

"You think it's a joke? If guys aren't gonna hate you and want to beat you up, they'll grab you every second they've got. What girl's gonna want you now? Besides for…maybe shopping?"

"Shut up!" Zuko yelled outright. "You're just a spoiled little brat who's received way too much damn LOVE. Half the teachers are related to you! You can get away with anything! It serves you right!"

"Serves _me_ right?"

"Heh. Why would this affect me more than you? Idiot."

"Zuko, you really don't know anything around here," Aang shook his head. "You're right. _Everybody_ loves me. And I'm _bisexual_ in case you haven't noticed. Even if they wanted to, nobody could hate me. Except you, of course. But I'll get everyone to hate you back."

"Wha—!"

"You almost ruined my life," Aang told him solemnly. "I'm just returning the favor."

* * *

End of Chapter 2: Introduction to Chemistry

* * *

A/N – Whoa, how did it turn out that way?! O.O*

No matters. I think I like the way this thing is turning (I have practically no control over my own writing, my hands just do it all). So I believe the plot will be kept interesting. Especially with a bitchy!Aang. Thanx, and review!


	3. Chapter 3: Units, Scientific Notation, a

**Pure Science**

**Summary: **They got together two months ago, right after APs. It was chemistry. Aang/Zuko yaoi.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Avatar: the last Air-bender. They would've done UNSPEAKABLE things on live television if I had. ;)

**Warning:** YAOI YAOI YAOI. Boys love each other! Don't read on if you don't understand this! Plus lots of swearing!

**A/N – **I think I've forgotten all my chemistry. Hehe. Oh well. You gotta love sparknotes. =)

* * *

**Chapter 3: Units, Scientific Notation, and Significant Figures**

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* * *

**

When trying to describe the quantity or quality of something, it's helpful to have a standard measure to refer to. A unit is such a standard by which a measured value can be described.

To make things simpler when expressing very large or small values, scientists express values in terms of "a x 10^b", where a is the value and b is the number of places the decimal had moved in order to express a in the ones digit. This type of expression is called scientific notation.

As no experiment can possibly be perfectly precise, scientists account for unavoidable uncertainty in measurement through the use of significant figures, or sigfigs for short. These do not remove uncertainty, they merely alert others as to where the uncertainty lies.

* * *

Aang is an entire phenomenon that Zuko can't avoid. He acts kindly, if he wants; he's a giving person, if it so pleases him. What can't stop bothering Zuko is Aang's bizarre attitude that he's under some kind of obligation to the entirety of mankind, because everyone here just _loves_ him so much and the entire staff is _related to him_. Like he's their savior. But from what? From _nothing_.

The sky smells like fresh apples and rain. There's nothing but sun—everywhere. It's a beautiful day, a relieving start, an opportunity for him to just leave play hooky. Maybe that way he could someplace else to act all pissy, in the shine of the sun rather than the accusing glare of the indoors.

"Zuko?"

What?

It was that voice again.

"_Zuko?_"

It was more demanding now, and it came from up above. Zuko had been determined to silently steal his way off the school grounds, but he spared a glance upward and caught an eyeful of a curious Aang hanging from the high branches of a tree. His expensive clothes hung on his body, looking perfectly mussed up, and his backpack lay abandoned at the base of the trunk.

"Hey Zuko—"

"Fuck off, will you?"

With that note of finality, Zuko strode down into the shade.

"What? Hey!" Aang was heard to have leapt off the tree and grab his backpack. "C'mon, it's been a week!"

"Got more death threats? Melodrama? That stuff really ticks me off, you know." Zuko turned his head slightly. "In case you haven't notice."

"Well, duh! I'm not stupid!"

Of course not. He's just been putting up an act of idiocy.

"Zuko, seriously! Just let me—" Aang, being as quick as he was, sprinted up to face him and grabbed at Zuko's forearms to keep him in place. "You can't just assume _everything_ about me! I got a little carried away—"

"Hell yeah I can."

"I'm a nice person," Aang said defensively, however this statement came out in a weak little _squeak_.

"Like I care."

"Zuko—"

An incredibly dirty curse caught in Zuko's throat and produced a strangled kind of groan. He threw his backpack behind a bush and sprinted for the main road, deciding that since reason would never work with someone like Aang, he might as well just make a run for it and hope that the kid collided into a tree.

He'd forgotten that, if there was anything Aang enjoyed, it was to win. He could still hear footsteps behind him, the light cadences of Aang's running close to his ears. Zuko found himself running along the shine of new cars and long black roads, an increasingly fruitless journey. Exhaling with carefully calculated breaths, Zuko mused. He could avoid Aang all he wanted, but entrapping him onto another route would solve his problem. He'd catch him.

He crossed the road at the next red light and ran for the drug store near the intersection, the gentle vibrations of the earth whispering to him that Aang was catching up. Running indoors, he weaved around the aisles and then leapt silently behind the empty Kodak counter and waited.

Not a sound was made, only the little beeps of products being checked out and half-hearted conversations resounded.

After five minutes, Zuko stood up and stretched, ignoring the little yelp of a bewildered employee staring at him leaving the pharmacy. He was strolling at his own pace, relieved by his sudden solitude, when he heard horribly familiar breathing.

"Aang!" Zuko roared, turning around but seeing no one. He glared when he saw nothing there. Turning around again to resume his path, however, he heard footsteps sliding neatly in place behind him.

"Are you serious," Zuko muttered incredulously. He began turning in circles and finally saw Aang running around him, trying to stay hidden behind his back.

"We're not playing this game!"

"Yes we are!"

Zuko didn't know when they broke from the cycle, but suddenly Aang was leaping joyously down the sidewalk with Zuko at his heel.

"You," Zuko hissed, "are…so…" finally, he caught Aang by the back of his collar and threw a punch at his round cheek "ridiculous."

* * *

Lucky them, for they'd chosen to engage in their little fist fight the same time and place in which two burly men stopped at the café to unload supplies.

Having been hauled inside and checked for mortal injuries by the manager of the café, who'd seen the scene from inside and couldn't afford any unruly scenes right outside her café, they now sat across from each other. Silently. Glaring.

"Well," the manager sighed breathlessly, suddenly business-like, "now that we've all settled down…would you boys like anything to drink?"

"No, thank you," Zuko responded curtly.

"I'll have the iced green tea," Aang smiled. "He'll have the same."

"Wha—"

"Wonderful," she smiled grimly, "I'll be expecting a pretty generous tip."

And with that, she walked away.

"She's not afraid to be honest," Aang murmured, looking amused but not necessarily happy.

"I'm leaving."

"No!" Aang snapped. "Stay."

"Why?"

"Just…"

Zuko glared at him.

"Because." Aang nodded.

Sometimes, it takes a one-word conversation to get the message across. They ended up sitting quietly and sipping their cold drinks with Zuko wondering what to say and Aang waiting for the right time to say something.

"I'll pay," Aang finally chirped, smiling a bit.

Zuko snorted, raising an eyebrow in suspicion. "You're weird, and immature, and gay."

"Bisexual," Aang corrected smoothly.

Zuko merely shook his head, seemingly too aggravated to express his disbelief. "But you're also alright sometimes…why did you do it?"

"Do what? That?"

"Yeah."

"Well, my homophobe-radar happens to be excellent, first of all," Aang said in an odd, scholarly tone. "It would've bothered you the most. That was obvious. And secondly…well you didn't ruin my life or anything, but I did get into a bad fight with my coach, plus a nasty sunburn."

"Nothing to create an entire scheme over," Zuko rolled his eyes.

"Er…see that just sort of unraveled on its own," Aang said sheepishly.

Another silence rolled by. Zuko took off the lid of his drink and devoured three ice cubes.

"Why are you so bothered by it?" Aang questioned, eyes wide and waiting for the answer.

"Of course I'm bothered by it! Do you think that everyone else can handle shit like paintballs and weird rumors—"

"No, I mean…bisexuality, it bothers you?"

Zuko rolled his eyes and didn't answer.

Aang frowned. "You're moody, pessimistic, and homophobic."

"No, I'm not just gay."

"Neither am I!"

Zuko didn't quite believe him, because Aang was a rather pretty boy with those large eyes and bright skin, not to mention a bit too slight and lean for his age. He was overly cheerful about small things and was concerned about stuff like the color of his binders. "Yeah right," Zuko muttered.

"What I'm trying to say," Aang sighed, "is that I'm sorry about embarrassing you and harassing you and everything…but I also think that you shouldn't be homophobic."

Zuko shrugged indifferently.

"Why? Do you think that gay guys are weak?"

_Yes_. "No."

"Do you think that it's unnatural?"

_Yes_. "No."

Aang clearly didn't believe him. "You were raised this way, weren't you?"

_Yes_. "No."

"Just because your family taught you to hate—"

"You don't know anything about my family," Zuko snapped, not wanting to think of his entirely intolerant father and his uptight little sister.

"Everyone does, your family's huge!" Aang exclaimed. "Well, I meant like notorious; wealthily, you know…_literally_ it's not as big as mine…ehehehe…"

The mentioning of Aang's extensive family and the reminder of the favoritism that he basked under didn't exactly help put a smile on Zuko's face. Fingers tapping his empty cup impatiently, Zuko looked about ready to leave.

"You paying or not?"

"You should stop holding everyone up to a standard," Aang reasoned, deciding to completely ignore his question. "I don't know if it was your old school—" (he evidently wanted to avoid mentioning Zuko's family again) "—but I can tell you stereotype too much."

"Wrong answer," Zuko sighed. "I'm leaving."

"But—"

"Stereotypes are based on truth. Didn't you know?"

* * *

End of Chapter 3: Units, Scientific Notation, and Significant Figures

* * *

A/N – Just thought I'd mention that if you haven't tried the iced green tea at Panera yet, what the hell are you waiting for?


	4. Chapter 4: The Periodic Table

**Pure Science**

**Summary: **They got together two months ago, right after APs. It was chemistry. Aang/Zuko yaoi.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Avatar: the last Air-bender. They would've done UNSPEAKABLE things on live television if I had. ;)

**Warning:** YAOI YAOI YAOI. Boys love each other! Don't read on if you don't understand this! Plus lots of swearing!

**A/N – **You'll notice that this chapter seems to have no point. Well, you're right. It doesn't really move anywhere in the plot except to introduce some other characters. There'll be action next chapter though, most definitely. ;)

Also, for those of you who don't know, AP stands for "advanced placement". They're college level courses that some high schools offer. In May everywhere a company called ETS let's you take ridiculously expensive assessment tests, and if you get a 4 or 5 some colleges offer credit.

* * *

**Chapter 4: The Periodic Table**

**

* * *

**

Amongst the most important tools of chemistry, the period table of elements has a long history of reorganization and development. Not only does it list all 118 elements, but it organizes them according to their general trends and provides fundamental information about each individual element.

The species that is the high school student has three sublevels regarding social behavior. There are those who fly through the crowd, words flowing from their lips and touching those around them as if they had King Midas' cursed touch of gold. They seek and easily enjoy the camaraderie that is so very available to them. There are those who seek friendship, who yearn for it, but they sit alone and hope for someone to speak up or else they wander aimlessly with no direction or purpose. And then there are those who don't give a fuck.

Zuko's constant bad mood practically reeked from his innards. Cast away from his usual, comfortable cushion of people, his new place amongst his new school was in solitude—on a bench maybe, or against his locker. He felt like he was blending into the world of hard, man-made right angular objects, that he was falling away from soft fellow humans.

The ritual would start everyday with frigging Katara in his face as he'd dump his backpack in his locker with her huge cerulean eyes constantly trying to meet his as she'd talk about Aang. _Aang is still trying to say sorry _and _Aang thinks Zuko has no friends_ and really, Aang could kiss his ass for all he cared. Katara had a sense of morale that was just a tad too high for her own good, in Zuko's opinion, and if she blocked him from getting his math textbook from his locker for the sake of "making friends" one more time he'd—

Nah, he wouldn't.

Sleeping through most of BC Calc was admittedly quite enjoyable, albeit the weird texts he'd start receiving from Jet and an occasional text from Mai. His stomach would churn whenever her name appeared on the screen, and he wasn't even sure it was a pleasant feeling to talk to her anymore. He'd been attracted to her because she had the same attitude—she just didn't (or couldn't) give a shit.

But now, say one morning when she texted him with a short _have a good weekend_, he wasn't even sure if he cared about her anymore.

Sure, he still remembered her perfect black hair and the sarcastic and strangely endearing smile she'd occasionally plaster on her face. But to be honest, it was beginning to fade away into the wall. He was beginning to masturbate to faceless figures and memories of pleasure now, instead of the shadow of delight he'd see flit across her face whenever he dared touch her.

Lunch was weird, as far as he could tell. Lunch was an affair that usually involved Zuko sitting alone when suddenly Toph and June would plop down in the seats next to him and spend the entire duration of lunch period chewing on their pile of burgers. They were, as far as he could tell, fairly good friends on their own. And though all three acted as if the other two were invisible, sitting together created an odd illusion of friendship. It was pretty funny, actually.

Zuko thought that Toph was, amongst other things, an awkward outsider to the three levels of social persona he had created in his head. With her blank face and occasionally friendly attitude, he could barely read any of her desires. And then there was the fact that she was blind, which he hadn't realized until she made her own joke about it.

"Have you seen the blind kid around here?" She asked him once.

"…No."

"Neither have I! Let me know when I walk in front of a mirror."

Oh yeah, hilarious.

June was a twisted version of a social butterfly—more of a social centipede or rat. She got along with people with her 'everything-about-you-cracks-me-up' attitude almost as well as Aang as did (and anyone who could measure up to Aang's ridiculous level of social excellency was inhuman). She was also a little too sexy for her own good. Zuko was getting sick of sitting next to the drooling group of guys who hung on to her every move in AP Econ.

Every other day they had martial arts with Jeong Jeong in place of gym class. That meant that every other day Zuko was thinking _FML_, for he quickly discovered that Aang was his martial arts rival as well as soccer rival. Rarely did anyone want to partner up with Zuko after Aang's overdramatic revenge, and rarely was anyone so forward as to demand that Aang be his partner. Zuko found it annoyingly ironic that a school so overwhelmingly homophobic had a bisexual ringleader who so happened to be his partner every martial arts class.

"Look, they're all over each other again."

"He touches Aang wayyy more than he needs to."

"Where's a room when you need it? Jeez…"

"LOL," Aang said (and Zuko had to do a double take to realize that Aang was vocalizing chat lingo), "I don't know what stance they're looking at, but—"

"Yeah, you can shut up," Zuko interrupted shortly. He wiped the sweat from his brow and upper lip with an impatient hand. "It was your fault in the first place."

Sometimes, Aang would keep talking, though mostly even he knew when to keep his mouth closed.

Though it was annoying that the brat was _the_ shit at _everything_, Zuko had to admit that it was refreshing and even enjoyable to have a challenge for a change. Aang was swift, face to attack and fast to react. When he wasn't muttering to himself what to do, he would contort his childlike face into the most comical expressions of intense concentration. These little things kept Zuko alive. He was mooching off Aang's liveliness. He was basking in Aang's ludicrous amount of energy.

But thankfully, Aang would tune down in martial arts class. Minus the occasional leaping kicks and the running across the walls, Aang's habit to show off seemed to be diminished by Jeong Jeong's cynical views about violence and the so-called dangers of physical power. Zuko would take Jeong Jeong's dark murmurs about responsibility to Aang's reckless flying around and laughing any day.

Yeah, too bad that Aang was in every class with him from Advanced Korean III onward.

The last class of the day was always AP Chem. Zuko sat slouched lazily in the back. Aang floated from seat to seat in the middle. He always seemed to be talking to someone. It never seemed to matter to whom he was puking up his daily musings. He would talk to Yue—something along the lines of clothes and hair probably, or whatever else Aang had in mind whenever Zuko suspected him to be acting a bit gayer than usual. He would obsess over soccer matches with Haru. This Zuko found acceptable, predictable, normal…but then Aang would turn around and chat with pig-faced Meng, having maybe an inkling that she was pathetically in love with him.

If Zuko had to be completely honest though…Aang was gay. Red and blue could make purple and iced tea and sprite could make a frigging awesome drink but sometimes two things can't coexist and Zuko always suspected that homosexuality and heterosexuality were the two that would never make a frigging awesome drink.

* * *

_Taptaptap_

The hell…

_Taptap… Tap… Tap…_

Whoever (whatever?) was knocking was steadily getting more hesitant. Zuko awoke, settled comfortably in the little cubicle that was conveniently deviant from the rest of the library, only to see Aang's bright face plastered at the window, his fist still ready at the glass.

He was just about to go back to sleep when Aang ignored him ignoring him and entered. "I didn't know you had seventh free."

Zuko squinted up at him. "…I use it to catch up on sleep," He finally answered. The mean muscle in his jaw seemed to have fallen asleep too. He had too much weariness and too less clarity in his head.

"Why?"

"Five APs," Zuko said shortly.

"Oh! I'm taking six! I have so much work too! I take like ten pages of notes every night just for English it's driving me nuts—"

"Uh huh." Monotonous. Zuko's head began to ease onto his shoulder.

"How late did you stay up last night?"

"Till about…two."

"I would never stay up that late," Aang looked as if he wanted to choke on the very idea. "I always just procrastinate when I'm eating breakfast…oh actually I just tell my teachers I didn't have the time. I always sleep at midnight."

"Uh huh."

"I mean, how do you even have the energy to work that hard? I would _never_ be able to concentrate in two in the morning—"

"Can you just stop?" Zuko finally blew it. "Look, I'm talking to my father about transferring out of here. As soon as the first report card comes out, I'm gone. You can quit talking to me. You might feel guilty or whatever…but fuck, I don't care. You're just—" _gay_ "—really fucking stupid. You did something stupid. But you don't have to make it up to me. I couldn't care less. _Really_."

And then, Aang's grey eyes made an unimaginable move. They seemed to widen and cringe and tear and crinkle with anger and surprise and reproach all at the same time. It was astonishing, and actually pretty endearing. Zuko was this close to apologizing for being perhaps too much of an asshole.

Then the boy sat down next to him. "It seemed pretty random that you came here in the first place," Aang commented lightly. "It was an even weirder coincidence that the guy who ruined my summer moved here."

"All I did was beat you in a game of soccer."

"Yeah, that's kind of the problem," Aang said crossly. Zuko was reminded of the bent-on-revenge Aang that he had been so lucky to encounter during the first week of school. "I can't afford to lose. I don't really _like_ losing, in case you haven't noticed."

"You might want to get used to it," Zuko snorted. "And get rid of that vengeance thing you have going on."

"I don't have a _vengeance thing_."

"Uh huh…didn't I tell you to leave?"

Aang stood up, his body leaning between going back and staying forth, wondering where to put itself. He found himself at the doorway, asking with careful hesitancy, "You're really leaving?"

"Pretty much definitely."

"So why did you move in the first place?"

Zuko visibly cringed. Aang could see the muscles of his face painfully contorting, writhing really. "Family death?" He inquired.

"Complicated issues with my dad," Zuko merely supplied. He leaned back and let his eyes slide closed again. But he shouldn't have assumed that Aang would just leave him alone.

"Did I stop you from getting to know people here? I feel like I—"

"You know you did," Zuko's eyes cracked open slightly to offer his characteristic glare, "but I wouldn't have tried that hard anyway."

"You don't like to just…hang out with people?"

"It's alright."

"Where are all your friends?" Aang was expecting a rather serious and morose answer, like '_I need no friends'_ or '_They have complicated issues too'_. Instead—

"All over the world not giving a shit about me."

Aang's eyes widened with curiosity. "Why don't you tell me about them?"

"Why are you still talking to me?"

"I don't know. You're still answering." This stumped Zuko. "There's less than five minutes till the bell. You really can't get that much sleep."

Zuko looked up at him with doleful, half-lidded eyes. "Fineee," He finally sighed out the word like a great big burden, even checking the time to ensure that Aang wasn't making a bullshit remark. "…What are we talking about?"

Zuko honestly wondered what the hell he was still doing here. Two more minutes of sleep didn't sound too bad. But Aang had a bizarre sort of insistency to him, as well as a bizarre sort of behavior that Zuko was annoyed by, but sincerely couldn't get enough of. He was like a new category of masochist. Or maybe it was just the Aang thing. The Aang magnet. Now that Zuko looked back, whenever Aang was in the vicinity, whether for good or for bad, Zuko's awareness of his presence prickled like the hairs on the back of his neck. Aang was practically forcing him to stay awake.

Aang made to sit back down next to him as he spoke. "Your friends? It's weird picturing you with friends. What're they like?"

"You know Jet."

"Who?"

"My stepbrother. He was on the soccer team too. You saw him. He was the tall guy with the messy brown hair."

"Was he the one who kept chewing on that fern?"

"Yeah."

"What's he like?"

"I just told you."

"What's he like as a person? Jeez I shouldn't have to spell this out!"

Zuko paused, choosing his words carefully before they spilled out from his mouth. "He's…a bit of a dick."

"Oh…just a bit? I feel sorry for his girlfriend." Aang erupted into laughter at his own joke, his face stretching into a curiously pretty smile.

The conversation didn't last long. Aang was right, they had AP Chem shortly after. And though they took the class together, Zuko always exited from the back of the library and walked through the cafeteria to walk up the stairway by the kitchen. Aang always went the long way to the front and to The Common, where he would meander and stay until there were seconds ticking to the bell and he'd run up the nearest staircase.

The two usually met at opposite ends of the hall. They came together at the middle and entered the classroom, acting as if they hadn't almost had a pleasant conversation.

* * *

End of Chapter 4: The Periodic Table


	5. Chapter 5: DISCONTINUED

**THIS STORY IS NOW BEING DISCONTINUED**

Hai everyone. I've given it some thought and I've decided that I simply don't see this storyline going anywhere. I'm sorry to anyone who actually wanted to see it continued. It's been great expanding on my writing style and exploring character development, and I really appreciate all of your feedback. However, better end it now than string it along for another couple years with half-ass updates. Please look forward to my next Zukaang fanfic though! It will rival Fortune Telling, I swear.

**THIS STORY IS NOW BEING DISCONTINUED**


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